Bustle



(No Model.)

No. 457,172. Patented Aug. 4, 1891.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM TOWNSEND, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ISAAC B i KLEINERT, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

PATENT OFFICE.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,172, dated August`4, 1891.

Application led January 2l, 1891. Serial No. 378,505. (No model.) Patented in England October 15. 1889, No. 16,232, and in France April Il, 1890,11'0. 204,931.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM TowNsEND, of London, England, have invented a new and Improved Regulative Expansible Bustle or Dress-Improver, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is the subject-matter of Letters Patent of Great Britain, N o. 16,232, dated October 15, 1889, and of France, No. 204,931, dated April 11, 1890.

This invention relates to a regulative expansible and reversible bustle or dress-improver; and its object is to produce a bustle capable of being regulated in respect of its size when required to be worn and of assuminga compact shape when not so required, thereby economizing space and expense in packing and transit. v

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to explain the same with the aid of the .accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of my said bustle when not in use. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof when the same is ready for use. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the bustle.

In carrying my invention into effect I prepare a fabric of woven or other suitable material of a rectangular shape. Across this fabric I form a series of parallel pockets or cases a, equidistant from each other, such pockets or cases being preferably narrower than the intervening bands b of the fabric. A

flat strip of any suitable material, which (by virtue of its natural elasticity) is capable of returning to its original flat position after its two ends have been approached, is fitted into each slot or case. I do not confine myself to any particular material; but I mention busksteel as one eminently adapted to accomplish the purpose of this part of my invention, although whalebone or horn or cane or featherbone may be used therefor. After each pocket or case is fitted with its spring-strip all such pockets or cases are brought together side edge to side edge, so that the area of the fabric is diminished by the folding up upon themselves of the intermediate bands b, as shown in Fig. 3; or any other equivalent method of incorporating the spring-strips with the fabric may be adopted. A tab c is then sewed or attached in any convenient way across the ends of the pockets at each end of the fabric after said fabrichas been folded or gathered as aforesaid, and both' of said end tabs c are provided with any suitable joining device whereby they can be brought i may be used. At each side the fabric is pro- 1 vided with a suitable side tab f, parallel with the spring-strips, and furnished with a string g or other equivalent device by which the bustle can be fastened or attached to or at the wearers waist. The tabs f and strings g constitute extending devices for extending the springs.

When the bustle is to be worn, the end tabs c are joined together, so that the ends of all the spring-strips will be held in two parallel lines. The side tabs f are then pulled away from each other with the result of stretching or extending the spring-strips as far apart (at their centers) as the intermediate bands or fabric b will allow, thereby bringing the bustle into its proper shape for wear, as shown in Fig. 2. It is then ready for being fixed in position on the wearers waist by the device g, provided for that purpose.

It will be noted that owing to the fact that the springs are joined together at their ends, whereas they are not joined together at their centers, the stretching of the bustle by means of the side tabs causes the springs to spread apart at their centers. the bustle is in use, as in Fig. 2, it is arched or curved in two directions.

This bustle is reversible-that is tosay, it may be sprung to shape and worn either side outward.

Consequently when Iwish it to be distinctly understood that my invention does not Confine me to anypartieular method of producingq the fabric with its four tabs.

When the end-joining devices cl e are released or unfastened, the bustle assumes its original compnet flat shape, as shown in Fig. l, and it may be either rolled up With the tabs c and d inside and the strings g Wound around it apronwise or left in its normal flat shape. In either oase it een be eonvenientiy packed into a very small compass Without injury thereto.

I claim as my invention A bustle comprising a eloth strip having a series of parallel pockets formed therein, the

WILLIAM TOWNSEND. Witnesses:Y

HENRY HARRIS LAKE, JOHN THOMAS KNoWLEs. 

